Italian grace in a strip mall

Specialty pastas and salads, gourmet pizzas, a casually elegant vibe: that's Besta One.

By LOGAN NEILL
Published May 18, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Ron Thompson] Chef Antonio Velasquez created shrimp and scallops in a roasted pepper cup; Pork Chop Valdostana with Spagnola Sauce; a wrap with grilled vegetables; and veal, pork and beef with two cheeses over rigatoni.

SPRING HILL - The key to our love of Italian cooking is not always just the food. Yes, we find comfort in the mellowness of a hearty tomato sauce. We get a warm vibe from biting into fresh, homemade garlic bread. But there's something about the atmosphere of an Italian establishment that can be as delicious as the cuisine.

Walk into Besta One Italian Grille, between Sears and Circuit City in the Coastal Way Shopping Plaza on Cortez Boulevard, and you'll be immediately struck by the hospitality that comes from a business where serving wonderful food seems more a calling than a vocation.

Thanks to Leslie and Jeff Jackson, the little hangout for late-night teens and occasional shoppers from Sears next door has been rescued. In the three years they've owned it, the restaurant has evolved into a first-rate bistro that offers a level of elegance and culinary sophistication beyond what you might expect, especially if you knew the place before the Jacksons took over.

No plastic checkered tablecloths and chianti-bottle candles here. Rather, tables are linen-clad and sport shiny stemware. Prompt and knowledgeable servers complete an atmosphere that is casual and comfortable.

Though the Jacksons admit they know their way around the kitchen, they prefer to turn the show over to true culinary talent. They hired longtime Hernando County chef Antonio Velasquez to let loose his Le Cordon Bleu credentials on the traditional flavors of Italy and the Mediterranean.

Velasquez knows that there's more to Italian cooking than tomatoes, oregano and garlic not that there's anything wrong with those and isn't afraid to give even traditional recipes a respectful nudge here and there.

With more than a dozen specialties on the menu, pasta lovers will have a field day. Worth checking out are the chicken francese ($14.95) and Rigatoni and shrimp alla vodka ($15.96), both of which show what innovative culinary talent can do with quality fresh meat and seafood.

On a lighter note, Besta One has a masterful salad selection that is uncommon in our neck of the woods.

If you're only in the mood for pizza, that's okay. Besta One is still one of the bright spots in the county for handmade pies.

Pizza chef Glenn Flammia proudly reels off recipes for two dozen or more gourmet pizzas, and probably that many more combinations of customer favorites. A favorite with seafood lovers is the shrimp scampi pizza ($16.95 and $18.95), a thick-crust pie with shrimp and garlic cooked in a buttery lemon and white wine sauce and generously topped with mozzarella.

Located in an area that is just beginning to feel the sway of incoming restaurant chains, Besta One has the kind of spirit and love of food that makes you want to cheer for its survival.

At the least, it's a place that newcomers should want to emulate.

Logan Neill can be reached at lneill@sptimes.com or (352) 848-1435.

At a glance

Editor's note

Diversions publishes a periodic feature called "What's Cooking, " a look at some of Hernando County's favorite dining spots. We welcome recommendations from readers. If you have a place in mind for us to visit, please drop us a line at What's Cooking, Hernando Times, 15365 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613, or e-mail your suggestion to lneill@sptimes.com Be sure to include the name and address of the restaurant and a brief description of what you like about it.

Restaurant facts

Besta One Italian Grille is at 13103 Cortez Blvd. (in the Coastal Way Shopping Center) in Spring Hill. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. 592-0878.

[Last modified May 22, 2007, 13:12:35]